Agenda for the January 27th BOE Meeting - Another Leadership Change: Curriculum Director Resigns as RIH BOE Faces Budget, Staffing, and Technology Challenges
- Kathie Schwartz
- Jan 25
- 3 min read
The next meeting of the RIH BOE is Monday January 27th, 8pm at the Ramapo High School Auditorium.
The agenda includes a Board Goal Setting discussion. The last time the Board had Goals for itself was before the Strategic Plan started, perhaps the Goals from 2020-2021? I’m glad to see the Board going back to this best practice.
The agenda includes the resignation of Curriculum Director Dr. Melissa Quackenbush.
Dr. Quackenbush was hired by Interim Superintendent Dr. James Baker in November 2023 at a salary of $194,600. In her short time here, Dr. Quackenbush implemented a costly restructuring of our Supervisors, taking many of them out of the classroom during an RIH teacher shortage, and created numerous new administrative curriculum positions, making our district more top heavy and increasing costs by at least $100,000. Dr. Quackenbush also tried to create a new position of Assistant Superintendent in our district for herself. Both Interim Superintendent Dr. Baker and Incoming (rescinded) Superintendent Dr. Tarchichi said no to creating this new position. Dr. Tarchichi planned to undo the Supervisor restructuring and eliminate some of the top heavy admin layers. Dr. Quackenbush was approved as the Acting Superintendent after the Board suddenly terminated Dr. Baker on May 28, 2024, and she remained in that position after the Board suddenly terminated the contract of Dr. Tarchichi on June 27, 2024, until Shauna DeMarco began in August 2024. Ms. DeMarco kept the new Supervisory Structure intact.
There is a motion to approve Darren Groh as Interim Curriculum Director, effective April 1 - June 30, at a prorated salary of $202,000. Mr. Groh had been our Interim Vice Principal for Ms. Ng. He is an experienced and well respected educator and will be a solid Interim.
I assume a search for a permanent Curriculum Director will commence shortly. The district has also posted an opening for a permanent Business Administrator to begin on July 1.
After two years of instability since Judy Sullivan, Kim Ansh and their majority at the time (Sullivan, Ansh, Bogdansky, Emmolo, Mariani) drove out several members of our administration team in 2023, I look forward to Ms. Demarco getting us back on track and hiring a strong, permanent team to help her lead the district forward.
Also on the agenda, $4,100 to continue the assessment of air conditioning at both schools, a $2.7 mil purchase order for the athletic trainer and boys team room renovations at Ramapo, many Policy changes (I haven’t reviewed in detail but the changes are redlined and attached to the agenda), and more.
Regarding capital expenditures, I recall Ms. DeMarco bringing attention to the fact that the Board has recently spent significant dollars on physical improvements yet has not addressed Technology needs of the district with a similar plan. Ms. DeMarco pledged to bring forward a Technology need/spending plan for Board review.
One of the Policy changes is to a Policy and Regulation for Electronic Surveillance and the sharing of that information with law enforcement. This brings to mind the district's recent implementation of AI Gun Detection Software, Zero Eyes. This type of software was recently in the national news, when a school shooting in Tennessee happened, despite the use of this type of AI Gun Detection software.
Link to agenda is attached.
Side note, the 2025 BOE committees have been formed and are listed on the website:
Finance & Facilities
Valenti (chair)
Bogdansky
Kiel
Education & Personnel
Ansh (chair)
Kiel
Koulikourdis
Negotiations
Koulikourdis (chair)
DeLaite
Kinney
Policy
Bogdansky (chair)
Mariani
Valenti
Athletics Arts & Extracurriculars
Mariani (chair)
DeLaite
Kinney
